POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – The Gaels bats were quelled for a second straight contest in game one against Marist, but an early start in game two set the tone for a timely bounce-back effort. Strong pitching and power hitting from the bottom of the order ensured a doubleheader split against the Marist Red Foxes.
GAME ONE: Marist 8, Iona 0 (6 Innings)
Marist used a pair of back-to-back one out doubles by juniors Gabrielle Kelliher and Kourtney Paul in the bottom of the fifth to give itself a 2-0 lead. Following a lineout, sophomore Brandi Coon singled to second base and drove in Paul for the Red Foxes' third run.
Before finally coming through in the fifth, Marist had loaded the bases in the first and second innings. Freshman Marnie Skinner used a strikeout and lineout to escape the game in the first inning, and managed to hold Marist of the board in the second getting senior Janna Korak to popout.
Iona's first chance to score came in the top of the fourth when freshman designated player Jasmine Temple doubled to right center with two outs. Marist chose to intentionally walk junior catcher Tori Danner before striking our senior shortstop Katie Newton to end the frame.
Senior leftfielder Ashlynn Morris started the sixth with a double down the left field line, however Redshirt senior Jessica Van Alphen put the clamps on and retired the next three batters on eight pitches.
Korak, who had stranded a bases loaded chance in the second, made up for it in the sixth with a two-run homerun that'd bring the Red Fox advantage to 5-0. For extra emphasis, senior Rebecca Freeman made it back-to-back blasts for the MAAC preseason coaches' poll favorite. Marist would go on to add on two more runs, ending the game at 8-0 in the sixth inning.
Van Alphen dominated the Gaels, holding Iona to just three hits while striking out nine and dishing out one intentional walk. Senior Kristen Turner joined Morris and Temple for the trio that had base-knocks against the Red Foxes hurler.
GAME TWO: Iona 3, Marist 0
Morris led the game off with an 0-2 single to right center, and Newton followed it up with a sacrifice bunt that put Morris on third with one out. Turner did her job and flew deep to centerfield, driving home the first run of the game and giving Iona its first lead of the day, 1-0.
The Gaels added to their lead in the second with back-to-back homeruns from sophomore second basemen Hailey Thompson and senior centerfielder Kelsey Long. For Thompson it was her second homerun of the season, and for Long it was her fifth collegiate round-tripper in her 101st career start.
Marist's starter sophomore Kaleen Leeseberg made it through the order just once as senior Jayne Oberdorf came in relief after Iona tagged three up on the board through 1.1 innings. Iona had just one baserunner over the course of the final 5.2 innings while Oberdorf was on the mound.
Sophomore Alana Evans allowed her first hit of the game with two outs in the fourth inning; Korak hit a one-bagger down the left field line on an 0-1 pitch. Evans finished the complete game allowing only allowing four baserunners, two of which came on a walk and hit in the final finning. She struck out seven in route to her team-high eighth win of the season.
All four batters at the top of the Iona order walked at least once.
Iona has a 15-14 overall, and 5-1 MAAC record thus far this season. It'll return to non-conference action on Tuesday afternoon at Fordham, and then Wednesday afternoon when St. John's visits Donald E. Walsh field at 3:00 PM. The Maroon & Gold return to MAAC action on Friday, Apr. 14 for a doubleheader in Albany, NY against the Siena Saints.
